SALEM, Oregon (Oregon Right to Life) — Oregon’s legislative session for 2025 concluded late Friday with numerous pro-life wins, including the defeat of a radical bill that would have expanded assisted suicide and the removal of language shielding abortion providers from malpractice investigations.
Oregon’s 83rd legislative session wrapped up following a sine die vote after 11 pm June 27, marking the end of a lengthy session that began January 21. Throughout the session, pro-life lawmakers continuously acted as representatives for the most vulnerable by voting for life-affirming bills and opposing legislation that would jeopardize and devalue innocent human life.
Through continuous effort – alongside strong pro-life lawmakers and with the support of grassroots advocates – Oregon Right to Life successfully disrupted, delayed, and defeated bills that would pose dangers to vulnerable members of Oregon’s population, particularly the unborn, the elderly, and the medically complex.
Oregon Right to Life also introduced and supported pro-life legislation behind the scenes, celebrating several notable victories. Even though other pro-life bills did not advance, the introduction of proposals to protect unborn lives offered a contrasting perspective and kept the pro-life message active in legislative conversations despite strong headwinds in the pro-abortion supermajority.
Defeating Anti-Life Bills:
Assisted Suicide Expansion (SB 1003)
Among the dangerous bills identified by Oregon Right to Life, Senate Bill 1003 drew statewide and even national attention for its language to expand Oregon’s assisted suicide “Death With Dignity Act” (DWDA) law – something that would impact people nationwide due to the recent removal of Oregon’s DWDA residency requirement.
Hundreds of advocates and groups from Oregon and across the country – including medical and mental health professionals and the Oregon Medical Association – engaged in active opposition to SB 1003 by submitting testimony, contacting legislators, and showing up to public hearings. The defeat of SB 1003 came thanks to the full engagement of individuals and groups from both shared and divergent ideological backgrounds, as well as diligent collaboration with Oregon’s minority leaders Sen. Daniel Bonham (R-The Dalles) and Rep. Christine Drazan (R-Canby).
Click below to watch the hearings and work sessions:
Shielding Abortion Providers from Malpractice Reports (SB 844)
Hidden among numerous seemingly unrelated statutory changes, SB 844 included provisions that would prevent information from being reported to law enforcement if the allegations pertained to the regulatory or enforcement functions of reproductive (i.e. abortion) or “gender-affirming” procedures.
Oregon Right to Life lobbied throughout the session to bring attention to and remove the dangerous language. After months of consistent communication and strong collaboration with pro-life legislators, the language was removed and an amended version was passed June 26. The removal of the malpractice shielding language was a major victory for Oregon Right to Life, pro-life lawmakers, and the safety and well-being of victims across Oregon.
Expanding Who Can Make Life-Ending Decisions (HB 3080)
HB 3080 would have expanded who can make life-ending decisions for an incapacitated person. By leveraging unexpected allies, Oregon Right to Life raised enough concerns to slow its progress. Without this engagement, the bill would have likely moved forward without question. HB 3080 was delayed to the deadline and ultimately failed in committee.
School-Based Health Center Funding and Expansions
Multiple expansions were proposed for school-based health centers across Oregon. School-based health centers can supply contraception to minors and refer for abortions and “gender-affirming care” without parental knowledge. These bills were intended to add additional school-based health centers across the state, offer increased funding to account for inflation, and even introduce a telehealth pilot program for districts that don’t have a health center on their campus. None of these bills moved forward.
IVF Expansions
Two IVF expansions were proposed, but neither moved forward. Oregon Right to Life upholds the natural process of human conception and opposes any techniques of human conception occurring outside of the maternal body which lead to the destruction of human life, whether for family growth or experimentation. Read more here.
Radical Pro-Abortion “Health Equity Coalition” Funding
Efforts to fund three additional “health equity coalitions” with taxpayer dollars were proposed. These organizations are simply radical advocacy groups promoting the liberal, pro-abortion agenda. These efforts were unsuccessful.
Introducing and Backing Pro-Life Bills:
Oregon Adoption Day (HB 2019)
Pro-life Rep. Lucetta Elmer (R-McMinnville) received overwhelming, unanimous, bipartisan support for her bill to establish “Oregon Adoption Day” on August 25 – the day she herself had been adopted. This life-affirming bill (a remarkable contrast to Gov. Tina Kotek’s “Abortion Provider Appreciation Day” in March), was a significant success and a notable means of drawing together bipartisan support for a pro-life initiative.
During the floor session, many legislators had the opportunity to share their adoption stories, including Rep. Virgle Osborne (R-Roseburg) who shared gratitude for the fact that his mother chose life despite circumstances that many would have reasons for abortion. Read more here.
Safe Haven Baby Boxes (HB 2901)
Pro-life Rep. Emily McIntire (R-Eagle Point) introduced a bill to expand Oregon’s safe haven law, allowing for newborn safety devices, if installed, as a location for safe surrender. This bill unanimously passed the House, but unfortunately was stopped on the Senate side.
Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Bills (HB 3248 and SB 666)
This legislation, introduced by Rep. E. Werner Reschke (R-Malin) in the House and Sen. Diane Linthicum (R-Klamath Falls) in the Senate, would place a limit on abortion when the baby can feel pain with exceptions for medical emergencies, rape, and incest.
An estimated 800 abortions took place in Oregon at or after 15 weeks gestation in 2023. Unfortunately, this proposal failed to move forward in the legislature.
Born Alive Infants Protection Bills (HB 2372 and SB 1012)
This act, introduced by Rep. Bobby Levy (R-Echo) in the House and Sen. Kim Thatcher (R-Keizer) in the Senate, would require a physician to provide a baby born alive during an attempted abortion procedure the same degree of care as any other baby at the same gestational stage. The 2002 Federal Born-Alive Protection Act defines infants who survive abortion as persons, but it does not mandate standards of care. Recent polls show continued growth and an overwhelming 80% voter support for this kind of protection. Unfortunately, this proposal failed to move forward in the legislature.
Every Mother Matters Act (Legislative Package: HB 2381, HB 2382, and HB 3535)
This three bill package, introduced by Reps. Bobby Levy (R-Echo) and Vikki Breese Iverson (R-Prineville), would create a more robust framework to support motherhood and family life, presenting a powerful alternative to abortion. The package would establish the Pregnancy Launch Program to encourage healthy childbirth; support childbirth as an alternative to abortion; promote family formation; aid successful parenting; increase families’ economic self-sufficiency; improve maternal health, mortality, and postpartum outcomes, and more. Unfortunately, this package failed to move forward in the legislature.
Strong Pro-Life Representation from Lawmakers and Advocates:
Opposition to Expanding Assisted Suicide:
Pro-life lawmakers and physicians spoke out strongly against the proposed expansion of assisted suicide through SB 1003.
Click the links below to watch the statements:
- Rep. Reschke’s First Testimony Sharing Personal Reflections
- Rep. Reschke’s Second Testimony Opposing SB 1003
- Sen. McLane Asks Question of Assisted Suicide Activist
- Pro-Life Physicians Respond to Questions from Democrat Lawmakers
- Sen. Thatcher Remarks that SB 1003 Would Jeopardize Vulnerable Lives
- Sen. Bonham Highlights Nationwide Opposition to SB 1003
Opposition to Abortion Providers Appreciation Day:
Responding to Gov. Kotek’s Abortion Providers Appreciation Day proclamation, Rep. Court Boice (R-Gold Beach) and Rep. Dwayne Yunker (R-Grants Pass) delivered powerful addresses on the House floor opposing the declaration and representing the rights of the most vulnerable. Read more here.
Support for Oregon Adoption Day:
Speaking in support of the establishment of Oregon Adoption Day, many pro-life lawmakers gave moving, personal testimonies about the value of adoption and innocent human life.
Click the links below to watch the statements:
- Rep. Elmer’s Introduces Oregon Adoption Day
- Rep. Osborne Shares Personal Connection
- Rep. Boice Urges Passage of Bill
- Rep. Wright Speaks as Grandfather of Adopted Baby
- Rep. Edwards Speaks as Adoptive Mom
- Rep. Helfrich Shares Story of Grandparents’ Adoption of His Father
- Rep. Yunker Speaks About His Adoption by His Stepfather
- Rep. Elmer Thanks Colleagues for Personal Testimonies
- Sen. Bonham Speaks in Support
Opposition to Shielding Abortion Providers:
Pro-life advocates spoke out strongly against language that would protect abortion providers and practitioners of “gender-affirming care” from potential malpractice reports.
Click the links below to watch:
- Sen. Linthicum Highlights Danger of Bill’s Shielding Language
- Rep. Scharf Pledges to Vote No Due to Bill’s Potential Prioritization of “Providers Over Victims”
- Rep. Drazan Says the Bill’s Provisions Are Going “In the Wrong Direction”
- Passing the Amendment Removing the Dangerous Language
- Remarks From Pro-Life Sens. Bonham and Girod, and Rep. Owens
Spotlighting Abortion Hypocrisy:
Speaking in reference to an unrelated piece of legislation, Rep. Osborne (R-Roseburg) shone a spotlight on the hypocrisy of Oregon efforts to protect young people while simultaneously allowing abortion up to birth.
Highlighting Supreme Court Decision
Sen. Linthicum Celebrates the Supreme Court Decision to Allow States to Defund Planned Parenthood
Pro-Life Lobby Day
Dozens of advocates from around the state joined Oregon Right to Life for a morning of policy briefing and advocacy training before going to the Capitol for meetings with their legislators, leaving the message: Support Her. Protect Them. Strong pro-life Representatives Court Boice (R-Gold Beach) and E. Werner Reschke (R-Malin) joined the program to encourage advocates ahead of their Capitol visits. Read more here.
Pro-Life Losses:
While the session was full of pro-life victories, especially the defeat of dangerous anti-life bills, the pro-abortion supermajority still succeeded in moving through anti-life legislation.
Mandated Inclusion of Abortion Providers in Insurance Networks (SB 822)
SB 822 will force health insurance companies to standardize access to abortion providers in their networks, with the intention of expanding abortion access and controversial “gender-affirming care” services (even though on-demand abortion is already readily available statewide). The bill poses serious religious liberty and conscience protection concerns. Though it was unfortunately passed by the legislature, its passage did not come without notable pushback. Insurance companies including Regence BlueCross BlueShield spoke against the initial draft of the bill, saying it was too extreme.
Budget Increase to Fund Abortion
Each year, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) is given a budget. This year, they were awarded an additional $10M in funds to accommodate the anticipated defunding of abortion providers at the federal level by the Trump administration. Read more here.
Seeding Justice, a radical pro-abortion advocacy group, was provided $2.5M. This was the same group that was given $15M in 2022.
This action-packed legislative session saw many pro-life victories and a comparatively limited number of losses, thanks to the tireless work of pro-life Oregon lawmakers, Oregon Right to Life’s lobbying team, and the many everyday Oregonians who took action – from sending emails, submitting testimony, showing up in person, and giving financially – to build a culture of life in Oregon.
Oregon Right to Life is grateful for the support, alliances, friendships, and teamwork that have made the successes of this legislative session possible.
